The 5 best non-alcoholic cider alternatives and where to find them

Until recently, going without alcohol has been a tough ask, mainly because of the lack of genuine alternatives. But these days, with the flood of amazing alcohol alternatives arriving in shops across the country, it’s quite easy to swap out the frustration for a sense of adventure. The modern drinker, no longer determined to have a beer or wine with every meal, can set out on an exploration of new breweries and intriguing flavours. There are some amazing options out there, so this week we thought we’d have a look at the world of non-alcoholic cider alternatives.

“Non-alcoholic cider alternatives” is a bit of a mouthful, certainly, but there’s a reason for that added last word. When people are looking for non-alcoholic drinks, there’s a tendency simply to look for the most obvious replacement. Non-alcoholic wine, non-alcoholic beer, non-alcoholic cider – these are all straight swaps. As modern drinkers ourselves, we’re keen to look beyond that habit and find things that offer an amazing taste experience in their own right.

Smoke House by Real Kombucha

Take, for example, our Smoke House. This isn’t a non-alcoholic cider, and we wouldn’t ever claim it was. But there’s something about it that hits a similar spot to a nice drop of scrumpy – so much so, in fact, that when a former senior manager at one of the UK’s biggest cider brewers came to chat to us at a festival last year, he found it hard to believe he was drinking something different.

Why wouldn’t we claim it’s a non-alcoholic cider? Quite simply, that’s because it’s a kombucha. As with all our brews, we haven’t added any flavours to it. The delicious caramel and apple notes, as well as the acidic bite that you’d commonly associate with a cider, are simply the result of carefully brewing and fermenting a certain kind of rich, smokey tea in tried and tested conditions.

Of course, you wouldn’t know any of this unless you tried it, and it’s that kind of experimentation and exploration that really appeals to us about the world of the modern drinker. We brew for open minds, after all. That said, we understand that many people have a particular idea of what they want from a cider, even if it’s a non-alcoholic cider, and so here are a few favourites that we’ve found on our journey.

Sheppy’s Low Alcohol Classic Cider

After months of hard work and secret development we can finally reveal some very exciting news… We’re launching a brand new Low Alcohol Classic Cider just in time for summer! Find out all about it here: https://t.co/MfjYZgwmHLpic.twitter.com/WJsHl1qn3m

We were lucky enough to discover this delicious non-alcoholic cider at a festival last year when we swapped a couple of bottles for a bit of muscle (they were having trouble with an oversized fridge… it’s a long story). One difficulty we’ve found with some so-called non-alcoholic ciders is that they tend to taste like fizzy apple juice. Not so with Sheppy’s. There’s that bite that we mentioned earlier – that sense of something having been brewed rather than mixed.

This is a regular addition to our fridge, but where do you find it? We usually get ours from the Dry Drinker website. Well worth stocking up on for a sunny day.

Stowford Press Non-Alcoholic Cider

What marks a good non-alcoholic cider from a glass of Appletiser is the level of sweetness. Stowford Press have been making cider since 1878, so they know a thing or two about what tastes right, and here they’ve hit the sweet spot (excuse the pun) in terms of sugary balance. Wonderfully crisp and refreshingly unsweet, a bottle of this also comes in at only 81 calories. Not quite as low as our Smoke House (less than 50 cals per bottle), but on the right lines.

Braxzz Oaked Cider 0.0%

When it comes to this Dutch non-alcoholic cider, we’re particularly taken with the fermented apple taste – again, something that really sets it aside from a traditional soft drink. There’s a hoppiness to it, too, and the oak finish gives it a complexity that really pleases the palate. Another one that clocks in low on the calorie counter, if that’s your thing. Only 79 cals in this bottle.

The Good Cider of San Sebastien

For those that like their cider a lot lighter and sweeter, try this juicy option from North coast of the Spanish Pyrenees. A traditional Basque cider, this comes from a 3-generations old brewery working out of their own orchard. Very popular in Spain, it is brewed in an apple and a peach flavour. Something for a sun-splashed drinking occasion.